Spanish companies regain momentum in their hiring plans for the final quarter of the year. According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, the net hiring expectation stands at 18%, five points above the prior quarter and three points higher than a year ago.
In this context, more than one in three Spanish companies (36%) expect to increase their headcount during Q4, while 18% anticipate reductions and 45% expect no changes to their staff. The improvement in forecasts reflects growing business confidence as the year draws to a close, though stability remains the prevailing option for most organizations.
“The Q4 outlook reflects an uptick in business confidence in Spain. While prudence remains and many companies opt to keep headcount steady, more and more organizations are planning to hire professionals before year-end,” explains Luis Miguel Jiménez, Chief Executive Officer of Manpower.
Large companies lead hiring forecasts
By company size, organizations with more than 5,000 employees are the most optimistic about Q4, with a net hiring expectation of 23%. Next are companies with 50–249 employees and microenterprises, both at 20%.
Meanwhile, organizations with 250–999 employees show an 18% expectation, while those with 10–49 and 1,000–4,999 employees share a 15% forecast.
Beyond the expected hiring levels, microenterprises have been the standout story over the past year. Their net outlook has swung from -13% in Q4 2025 to +20% now, a 33-point swing. Companies with 1,000–4,999 employees also advance by four points from a year ago, and those with 250–999 employees rise by one point.
Spain regains hiring momentum
Global hiring expectations show a positive trajectory, though meaningful differences persist across markets. For the fourth quarter, India leads international forecasts with 54%, followed by Brazil 53% and Panama 49%.
At the opposite end, Japan 7%, Romania 4% and Slovakia 3% display the most restrained forecasts for the year’s final months.
In this international context, Spain posts a net hiring expectation of 18%, eleven points below the global average (29%).
With this improvement, Spain regains part of the ground lost in recent months and heads toward the end of 2026 with more favorable hiring prospects. Although forecasts remain below the global average, companies maintain a positive hiring intent and reinforce signals of labor market stability.
